


to capture a heart

by roeboat2416



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adding tags as the story goes on, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Siren Oikawa Tooru, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29986065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roeboat2416/pseuds/roeboat2416
Summary: Years ago, Oikawa was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay his debt, he has served as a Siren ever since, using his voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Oikawa can kill, he can’t resist spending his days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when he will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again.Oikawa is resigned to finishing his sentence in solitude...until he meets Iwaizumi. Handsome, caring, and kind, Iwaizumi is everything Oikawa ever dreamed of.Falling in love with a human breaks the Ocean’s rules. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Oikawa is determined to follow his heart.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	to capture a heart

**Author's Note:**

> Hiiii wow so I've actually had this idea for a while and I don't see a lot of fics written like this so I took it upon myself to do it. Also when the "crash" is mentioned in this fic it's talking abt the market crash with the great depression in America, this fic takes place in Japan though so ignore the historical inaccuracies, please. I am writing another Iwaoi fic at the moment called 'silver and scarlet' feel free to check it out it's a fantasy au. With this i in mind for the sake of me not getting burnt out I will be updating this every Friday. Anyways happy reading!!

* * *

It’s funny what you hold on to, the things you remember when everything ends. Oikawa can still picture the paneling on the walls of his family's stateroom and recall precisely how plush the carpet was. He remembers the saltwater smell, permeating the air and sticking to his skin, and the sound of his sisters’ laughter in the other room, like the storm was an exciting adventure instead of a nightmare. 

More than any sense of fear or worry, there was an air of irritation hanging in the room. The storm was throwing off their evening’s plans; there would be no dancing on the upper deck tonight, no chance to parade around in his new shoes. These were the woes that plagued Oikawa’s life then, so insignificant they’re almost shameful to own up to. But that was his once upon a time, back when his reality felt like a story because it was so good. 

“If this rocking doesn’t stop soon, I won’t have time to fix my hair before dinner,” Mother complained. Oikawa peeked up at her from where he was lying on the floor, trying desperately not to throw up. Mother’s reflection looked as glamorous as a movie star, and her finger waves seemed perfect to him. But she was never satisfied. “You ought to get off the floor,” she continued, glancing down at him. “What if the help comes in?”

Oikawa hobbled over to one of the chaise lounges, doing-as always-what he was told, though he didn’t think this position was necessarily any more manlike. He closed his eyes, praying that the water would still. He didn’t want to be sick. Their journey up until that final day had been utterly ordinary, just a family trip from point A to point B. He can’t remember now where they were heading. What he does recall is that they were, as per usual, traveling in style. They were one of the few lucky families who had survived the Crash with wealth intact-and Mother liked to make sure people knew it. So they were situated in a beautiful suite with decent-sized windows and personal stewards at their beck and call. Oikawa was entertaining the idea of ringing for one and asking for a bucket. 

It was then, in that bleary haze of sickness, that he heard something, almost like a far-off lullaby. It made him curious and, somehow, thirsty. He lifted his dizzy head and saw his Mother turn her attention to the window as well, searching for the sound. Their eyes met for a moment, both of them needing assurance that what they were hearing was real. When they knew they weren’t alone, they focused on the window again, listening. The music was intoxicatingly beautiful, like a hymn to the devout. 

His Father leaned into the room, his neck sporting a fresh bandage where he’d cut himself trying to shave during the storm. “Is that the band?” he asked. His tone was calm, but the desperation in his eyes was haunting. 

“Maybe. It sounds like it’s coming from outside, doesn’t it? Mother was suddenly breathless and eager, one hand on her neck as she swallowed excitedly. “Let’s go see.” She hopped up and grabbed her sweater. Oikawa was shocked. She hated being in the rain. 

“But Mom, your makeup. You just said-”

“Oh, that,” she said, brushing him off and shrugging her arms into an ivory cardigan. “We’ll only be gone a moment. I’ll have time to fix it when we get back.” 

“I think I’ll stay.” Oikawa was drawn to the music as the rest of them, but the clammy feeling on his face reminded him how close he was to being sick. Leaving the room couldn’t be a good idea in his state, and he curled up a little tighter, resisting the urge to stand up and follow. 

Mother turned back and met his eyes. “I’d feel better if you were by my side,” she said with a smile. 

Those were the last words his mother spoke to him. 

Even as Oikawa opened his mouth to protest, he found himself standing up and crossing the cabin to follow her. It wasn’t just about obeying anymore. He had to get up on deck. He had to be closer to the song. If he had stayed in the room, he probably would have been trapped and gone down with the ship. Then he could have joined his family. In heaven or hell, or in nowhere, if it was a lie. But no. 

They went up the stairs, joined along the way by scores of other passengers. It was then Oikawa knew something was wrong. Some of the passengers were rushing, fighting their way through the masses, while others looked like they were sleepwalking. 

Oikawa stepped into the rushing rain, pausing just outside the threshold to take in the scene. Pressing his hands over his ears to shut out the crashing thunder and hypnotic music, he tried to get his bearings. Two men shot past him and jumped overboard without even pausing. The storm wasn’t so bad that they needed to abandon ship,  _ was it?  _

He looked to his older sister and saw her lapping up the rain, like a wildcat clawing at raw meat. When someone near her tried to do the same, they scrapped with each other, fighting over the drops. Oikawa backed away, turning to search for younger brother. He never found him. He was lost in the crowd surging toward the water, gone before Oikawa could make sense of what he was witnessing. 

Then he saw his parents, hand in hand, their backs against the railing, casually tipping themselves overboard. They smiled. Oikawa screamed. 

What was happening? Had the world gone mad? 

A note caught Oikawa’s ear, and he dropped his hands, his fear and worries fading away as the song took hold. It did seem like it would be better to be in the water, embraced by the waves instead of pelted by rain. It sounded delicious. He needed to drink it. He needed to fill his stomach, his heart, and his lungs with it. 

With that sole desire pulsing through Oikawa, he walked toward the metal rails. It would be a pleasure to drink himself full until every last piece of him was sated. Oikawa was barely aware of hoisting himself over the side, barely aware of anything, until the hard smack of water on his face brought him back to his senses. 

He was going to die. 

_ No!  _ Oikawa thought as he fought to get back to the surface.  _ I’m not ready! I want to live!  _ Nineteen years was not enough. There were still so many foods to taste and places to visit. A husband, he hoped, and a family. All of it, everything, gone in a split second. 

_ Really? _

Oikawa didn’t have time to doubt the reality of the voice he was hearing.  _ Yes!  _

_ What would you give to stay alive?  _

_ Anything! _

In an instant, Oikawa was dragged out of the fray. It was as if an arm was looped around his waist, pulling with precision as he shot past body after body until he was free of them. He soon found himself lying on his back, staring up at three inhumanely beautiful boys. 

For a moment, all his horror and confusion disappeared. There was no storm, no family, no fear. All that ever had been or ever would be were these beautiful, perfect faces. Oikawa squinted, studying them, making the only guess that seemed possible. 

“Are you angels?” he asked. “Am I dead?” 

The closest boy, who had hair as green as the emerald’s in his Mother’s earrings. “You’re very much alive,” he promised. 

Oikawa gaped at the other boy. If he was still alive, wouldn’t he be feeling the scratch of salt down his throat? Wouldn’t he still be feeling the sting on his face from where he fell? Yet he felt perfect, complete. He was either dreaming or dead. He had to be. 

In the distance, Oikawa could hear screams. He lifted his head, and just over the waves he spotted the tail of their ship as it bobbed surreally out of the water. 

He took several ragged breaths, too confused to grasp how he was still breathing, all the while listening to the others drown around him. 

“What do you remember?” the boy asked. 

Oikawa shook his dead. “The carpet.” He searched his memories, already feeling them becoming distant and blurry. “And my mother’s hair,” Oikawa said, his voice cracking. “Then I was in the water.” 

“Did you ask to live?” 

“I did,” he sputtered, wondering if the boy could read his mind or if everyone else had that thought it, too. “Who are you?” 

“I’m Yamaguchi,” he replied sweetly. “This is Tsukishima.” Yamaguchi pointed to a blond boy who gave Oikawa a small, warm smile. “And that is Tanaka.” Tanaka appeared to have nearly no hair at all. “We’re singers, Sirens. Servants to the Ocean,” Yamaguchi explained. “We help Her. We...feed Her.” 

Oikawa squinted. “What would the ocean eat?” 

Yamaguchi glanced in the direction of the sinking ship, and Oikawa followed his gaze. Almost all the voices were quiet now. 

_ Oh.  _

“It is our duty, and soon it could be yours as well. If you give your time to Her, She will give you life. From this day forward, for the next hundred years, you won’t get sick or hurt, and you won’t grow a day older. When your time is up, you’ll get your voice back, your freedom back. You’ll get to live.” 

“I’m sorry,” Oikawa stammered. “I don’t understand.” 

The others smiled behind Yamaguchi, but their eyes looked sad. “No. It would be impossible to understand now,” Yamaguchi said. He ran his hand over Oikawa’s dripping hair, already treating him as if he was one of his own. “I assure you, none of us did. But you will.” 

Carefully, Oikawa raised himself until he was fully upright, shocked to see that he was standing on water. There were still a few people afloat in the distance, struggling in the current as if they thought they might be able to save themselves. 

“My mother is there,” Oikawa pleaded. Tsukishima sighed, his eyes wistful. 

Yamaguchi wrapped his arm around Oikawa, looking toward the wreckage. He whispered in his ear. “You have two choices: you may remain with us or you may join your mother.  _ Join  _ her. Not save her.” 

Oikawa stayed silent, thinking.  _ Was Yamaguchi telling him the truth? Could he choose to die?  _

“You said you’d give anything to live,” Yamaguchi reminded him. “Please mean it.” 

Oikawa saw the hope in his eyes. Yamaguchi didn’t want him to go. Perhaps he’d seen enough death for one day. 

Oikawa nodded. He’d stay. 

Yamaguchi pulled him close and breathed into his ear. “Welcome to the brotherhood of sirens.” 

Oikawa was whipped underwater, something cold forced into his veins. And, though it frightened him, it hardly hurt at all. 

* * *

  
  
  


  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed reading, I enjoy any feedback, kudos, and comments <3


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